As more and more people embrace the Internet as part of their daily lives, it is only a matter of time before the traditional analog telephones are replaced for voice over packet (VOP) telephony. VOP would include voice over interne protocol (VOIP), voice over asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), voice over frame relay, and VOIP over wireless local area network (LAN). It would also include other protocols where voice would be transported over the protocol.
Numerous service providers use VOP to provide calling plans to their customers for both On-Net and Off-Net calls. These providers charge a fee for various calling plans. An On-Net call refers to calls that originate from, and terminate on, a packet endpoint such as an IP endpoint. An On-Net call remains in a packet network for its duration and does not require a connection to a public switched telephone network (PSTN). An Off-Net call refers to calls that originate from a packet endpoint but terminate on the PSTN.
The problem with today's VOP service is the lack of interconnection between the various service providers, and the continuing role of the PSTN. If a customer of one service provider wanted to call a customer of another service provider, the call would be VOP at either end but would still traverse the PSTN to make the complete connection. Because the PSTN market is regulated and subject to special tariffs and taxes, there is minimal savings to use VOP except when calling a customer served by the same service provider. Usually, two customers served by the same service provider may make a VOP call that stays as an On-Net call.
A solution is needed that would provide interconnectivity of the various VOP service providers bypassing the PSTN but using the existing architecture and infrastructure of the Internet. Customers would not have to register with more than one service provider and would be able to make VOP On-Net calls even to customers served by a different service provider.